1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a communication system, and more particularly to the system architecture and switching method thereof in the case of installing a voice storing equipment in which voice messages are stored.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional voice storing equipment is such that messages are temporarily stored in digital form in a memory, and the stored messages are delivered to predetermined addressees nonconcurrently as and when needed. Herein, memory areas are allotted to individual terminals, and mail boxes are disposed in correspondence with the respective terminals.
In addition, a technique disclosed in the official gazette of Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 149949/1991 concerns the system architecture and switching method of a communication system in the case where the number of terminals in a voice storing equipment has been increased. The system of the prior-art technique includes, at least, first and second message processing means for storing messages therein and for playing them back, and switching means for selecting one of the message processing means and for executing a routing process. The message is switched as required, and is processed by the selected message processing means.
With the prior-art technique, in order to prevent a load from concentrating on any of the plurality of message processing means, the switching means selects the message processing means as required in accordance with the load situations thereof, and the selected message processing means store calls from subscribers therein. Since, in this case, the message processing means are selected as required, the corresponding relationship between the selected message processing means and the respective subscribers needs must be stored in order to prevent them from becoming unknown. Also in the switching system of any equipment other than the voice storing equipment, the requisite is problematic in a case where, in switching output destinations for entered input calls, the input calls are to be allocated so as not to concentrate on one of the output destinations.